Cookies for Santa

Can you believe it's almost Christmas? I feel like there are still so many things left to do. Luckily, I was able to cross baking cookies for Santa off of my to-do list last night. Growing up, we'd make a big batch of Christmas cookies a day or two before Christmas to take to different Christmas gatherings, and we would always save a few to set out for Santa. Santa wasn't the only one who got a treat; we always made sure to leave carrots for the reindeer too! We may have even left carrots for Santa instead of cookies a few years because my mom insisted that Santa was dieting.

This year, I took home a few recipes from the Carolina Trust Employee Cookie Exchange, so that Santa could have a new variety. I'm not going to lie this close to Christmas, I may have snuck a few cookies, but they were specifically for taste testing purposing. I wouldn't want to give Santa a nasty cookie. He would put me on the naughty list for sure!

August's Melted Snowmen

Ingredients

• Sugar Cookie Store Bought Mix
  
  
• 1 Egg
  
  
• 1/2 Cup of Butter
  
  
• Marshmallows
  
  
• Powdered Sugar
  
  
• Black and Orange Gel Icing

Step 1: Preheat the oven to the desired temperature on the sugar cookie mix.

Step 2: Follow sugar cookie mix instructions. Add 1 egg and 1/2 cup of butter for extra fluffy cookies.

Step 3: Bake as instructions on cookie mix stated. Let cool and decorate.

Step 4: Cut Marshmallows in half

Step 5: For icing, mix 1/2 Cup of Powdered Sugar with 2 tbs of water. Don't add too much water or the icing will be runny and drip off of the cookie. 

Step 6: Ice cookies and add marshmallow while still wet. 

Step 7: Once the icing has dried, add face, arms and buttons to your snowman. 

Sarah's Peanut Butter Blossoms

Ingredients

• 1 Bag of Hershey's Kisses (I used the almond ones for a little added crunch)

• 1/2 Cup of Butter

• 3/4 Cup of REESE's Creamy Peanut Butter

• 1/3 Cup of Sugar

• 1/3 Cup of Packed Brown Sugar

• 1 Egg

• 2 Tablespoons of Milk

• 1 Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract

• 1 1/2 Cups of All- Purpose Flower

• 1/3 Cup of Sugar for Rolling

Step 1: Heat oven to 375°F. Remove wrappers from chocolates.

Step 2: Beat shortening and peanut butter in large bowl until well blended. Add 1/3 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture.

Step 3: Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet.

Adrienne's Cinnamon Roll Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 Cup of Butter

• 1 Cup of Sugar

• 2 Eggs

• 1 Tablespoon of Vanilla

• 3 Cups of Flour

• 3 Teaspoons of Baking Powder

• 2 Teaspoons of Cinnamon

Icing:

• Equal Parts Cream Cheese and Butter (Leave out for about an hour to soften)

• 3/4 Cup of Powdered Sugar

• 1 Tablespoon of Vanilla

• 1/4 Cup of Milk

• 1 Tablespoon of Cinnamon

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 Degrees

Step 2: Combine all ingredients 

Step 3: Use a glass to flatten and cut the dough

Step 4: Bake on non-stick cookie sheet for 10-12 minutes

Step 5: Remove from cookie sheet and lay on wire rack to cool.

Step 6: Once cooled, frost cookies or drizzle icing across the top